Recording Projects & Concert Listing

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OVERVIEW OF THIS CHAPTER:

Recording Projects

ASV's Marx series (discontinued after 4 CDs)

cpo's Marx series

Chandos's Marx series

Other CD projects in the pipeline and latest news

Concert Listing

Recording Projects

ASV's Marx series (discontinued after 4 CDs):

GENESIS OF THIS PROJECT:

In June 2001, I was contacted by Andrea Kleibel-Kertsman, Artist Manager and former Sony Classical Record Executive. She informed me that the British label ASV would like to produce a CD presenting some orchestral works by Marx and Korngold. While this concrete project was kept in the pipeline (and, by the way, was never realised), Mrs. Kleibel-Kertsman brought my correspondence with her to the attention of her husband Miguel Kertsman, a record producer and recording executive (visit his website). Later, in October 2001, I coincidentally contacted Miguel Kertsman without realising the connection between him and Mrs. Kleibel-Kertsman, and drew his attention to my website. When I suggested him to produce a CD series with the complete orchestral works of Joseph Marx, he was highly interested so that I started to provide to him any information that could be required for such a huge project, which also included a complete schedule of how the CD series could be optimally compiled from Volume 1 to the end.

In February 2002, i.e. only four months after the beginning of our contact, Miguel Kertsman was able to present the news that the label ASV, London, had agreed to undertake the project of a complete orchestral works series with the Bochumer Symphoniker conducted by Steven Sloane.

In March 2002, Miguel Kertsman informed me that the first recording session would be in June 2002, and this is a story of how dreams can come true...

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VOLUME 1:

The Complete Orchestral Music series starts with the challenging work Natur-Trilogie (Nature Trilogy) for large orchestra. The recording sessions took place on June 12-14, 2002 in the Maximilianhalle in Hamm, Germany. I was invited there and so had the chance to be witness to the world premiere recording of this absolutely stunning masterpiece of impressionism, revived by the great Bochumer Symphoniker with their brilliant conductor Steven Sloane in co-operation with an excellent recording team (the recording's producer Miguel Kertsman as recording engineer under the assistance of second sound engineer Johannes Müller). This is not only the first commercial recording of this work at all but also the premiere recording of the uncut original scores of the trilogy as a whole, since Part 1 (Eine Symphonische Nachtmusik) and Part 3 (Eine Frühlingsmusik) of the trilogy had been performed in shortened versions when they were last played 40-50 years ago. Further details on this CD can be found here.

The Bochum Symphony Orchestra and their conductor Steven Sloane during a recording session of Volume 1 ("Natur-Trilogie" for large orchestra) in the Maximilianhalle in Hamm, Germany between June 12 and June 14, 2002 (photo shot by the author of the website on June 14, 2002). The famous British label ASV already released the highly praised three string quartets by Joseph Marx and will soon record the piano quartets, as well (see below).

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VOLUME 2:

The second release of ASV's Complete Orchestral Music series presents the Orchestral Songs including the song cycle "Verklärtes Jahr" (Transfigured Year) recorded in September 2003 in the Stadthalle Wuppertal, Germany (a picture of this location can be seen below; it is exactly the location where the Herbstsymphonie was performed for the last time in 1925). The soloists are Angela Maria Blasi (Soprano) and Stella Doufexis (Mezzo-Soprano). The photo was shot by the author of this website (on Sep. 24, 2003) and shows the producer Miguel Kertsman (left), Stella Doufexis, Angela Maria Blasi and the conductor Steven Sloane (right) after a long but very fruitful recording session. Further details on this CD can be found here.

Producer, soloists and conductor (41 kB)

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VOLUME 3

On my suggestion, it was decided to couple the orchestral works in classical style (written around 1940) on the third volume of the ASV series: Alt-Wiener Serenaden (Old Vienna Serenades) and the string orchestra arrangements of his own beautiful string quartets "in modo antico" and "in modo classico". The recording sessions took place in the famous historical Stadthalle Wuppertal, Germany, in April 2003. This gorgeous concert hall is EXACTLY THE LOCATION WHERE MARX'S HERBSTSYMPHONIE WAS PERFORMED FOR THE LAST TIME IN 1925!

The Bochum SO with their conductor Steven Sloane and the producer Miguel Kertsman during the recording sessions of Volume 3 in Stadthalle Wuppertal, Germany (photo shot by the author of the website in April 2003).

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VOLUME 4:

Volume 4 as one of the most fascinating projects of this series presents a recording of Marx's piano concertos (the "Romantic Piano Concerto" and the 2nd concerto "Castelli Romani", of which the latter will be a first recording). This time I had no time to attend the recording sessions but fortunately, I was witness to the most sensational concert I've ever been in my life: Live performances of both concertos in the Schauspielhaus Bochum on January 8 and 9, 2004, just a few days before the recording sessions started. Steven Sloane and the Bochum SO played with much transparency and sensibility, while the phenomenal pianist David Lively seemed to be one with the piano and blessed the audience with an unforgettable demonstration of virtuosity. David Lively played the concertos, both of which are indeed very difficult to perform, in a way that was totally new and surprising even for myself. His emotionally powerful and passionate playing was absolutely incredible. The artists were rewarded with thunders of applause by an audience that was obviously electrified. A German newspaper review of one of these performances can be found here.

A brief introduction to the works, and the pianist with the conductor after the performances (please click the thumbnails to enlarge the photos that were shot by the author of this website on January 8 and 9, 2004):

Artists who contributed to ASV's CD series "The Complete Orchestral Music of Joseph Marx":

***The Orchestral Songs...***
For more information on these magnificent singers just click the pictures		Stella Doufexis (Mezzo- Soprano)			Angela Maria Blasi (Soprano)

***The Piano Concertos...***
For more information on the American-born virtuoso David Lively just click his picture	David Lively

ALL RELEASES OF THE ASV SERIES
VOL.	WORKS	RECORDED	RELEASED
1	Natur-Trilogie (Nature Trilogy) for orchestra	June 2002	April 2003
2	The orchestral songs and "Verklärtes Jahr" ("Transfigured Year") for mezzo-soprano & orchestra. The soloists are Angela Maria Blasi (soprano) and Stella Doufexis (mezzo-soprano).	Sept. 2003	June 2004
3	"Vienna Serenades" - The works in traditional style: "Old Vienna Serenades" and the string orchestra arrangements of his string quartets "in modo antico" and "in modo classico"	April 2003	Nov. 2004
4	The two piano concerti: "Romantisches Klavierkonzert" (Romantic Piano Concerto) and "Castelli Romani". The soloist is the American virtuoso David Lively whose reportory also includes the large-scale piano concertos by Furtwängler and Busoni.	Jan. 2004	May 2005
5 or 6	All choral works (two third of which are with orchestral accompaniment; partially orchestrated by the author of this website and the composer Stefan Esser)	Project discontinued in 2004	---
5 or 6	Herbstsymphonie (Autumn Symphony) and Nordland-Rhapsodie (Nordic Rhapsody) for large orchestra, to be released on a double disc set	Project discontinued in 2004	---

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Back to the overview of this chapter

cpo's Marx series

In 2006, cpo has released a recording of Marx's three string quartets (performed by the Thomas Christian Ensemble, Austria). Berkant Haydin, the author of this website, gained knowledge of this recording when cpo asked him to write the booklet notes. Before the CD was released, Berkant spoke with cpo's manager Mr. Burkhard Schmilgun and suggested several other CD projects. Mr. Schmilgun indicated great interest and contacted Mrs. Haide Tenner from the ORF (Austrian Broadcast Company) who is also the President of the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. Subsequently, Mr. Schmilgun confirmed the following CD projects:

CD of three symphonic poems by Joseph Marx: "Eine Fr�hlingsmusik", "Idyll" and, as a world premiere recording, "Feste im Herbst" (Autumnal Revelries; which Marx has formed as a symphonic poem by re-working the final movement of the Herbstsymphonie). The CD was recorded by the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Johannes Wildner in March 2007. It will be released in September 2008.

CD of the rare songs for medium voice, to be performed by Ms. Angelika Kirchschlager (mezzo-soprano) and the pianist Anthony Spiri. The recording will take place later this year or in Spring 2009.

CD of the organ works (world premiere recording), to be performed by Arno Hartmann.

CD of the three piano quartets (world premiere recording).

CD of the Trio-Phantasie (world premiere recording) and the 2nd violin sonata (premiere commercial recording for the past 50 years).

In September 2007, Stefan Esser (Vice President of the Joseph Marx Society) met the Finnish conductor Ari Rasilainen who is mainly working in Germany. A few months earlier, Mr. Rasilainen already had received a mail presenting the Herbstsymphonie. Mr. Rasilainen was extremely enthusiastic when he saw the score and could easily persuade Mr. Schmilgun (cpo) of doing a studio recording of this work in conjunction with previous live concerts.

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Chandos's Marx series

In November 2005, Berkant Haydin sent Chandos a couple of scores and archival recordings of works by Joseph Marx and suggested a Vocal Music CD that should include the choral works. Mr. Ralph Couzens, Managing Director of Chandos, was already interested in Marx since he had negotiated with the American soprano Christine Brewer to record Marx's orchestral songs. Mr. Couzens was very intested in Berkant's suggestion to produce a CD of the choral works as a world premiere recording and the orchestral songs. He contacted Jiri Belohlavek, chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra. In August 2007, finally, the orchestra confirmed to do this project so that Chandos, in the meantime, has scheduled the following CDs:

All works for choir and orchestra as a world premiere recording ("Herbstchor an Pan", "Ein Neujahrshymnus", "Berghymne" and "Morgengesang") coupled with all 12 orchestral songs for high voice. Recording date: Mai/June 2008. The CD is being produced with sponsorship kindly granted by the Telekom Austria, while many other requirements of the project (for instance, paying for computer set orchestra parts of "Herbstchor an Pan" and providing the booklet notes in two languages) are being supplied by the Joseph Marx Society. Performers' names are mentioned under the photograph below.

Also, in July 2008, Chandos has released a CD of Marx's piano music including four unpublished peaces, performed by Tonya Lemoh. The CD can already be seen in our "Discography" section.

June 27th 2008: The BBC Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, the Apollo Voices and the Trinity Boys' Choir conducted by Jiri Belohlavek during a rehearsal session of the world premiere recording of Marx's choral works at Watford Town Hall. Nearly 260 musicians were part of this non-public recording of the label Chandos. The CD is to be released in January 2009. It will include all orchestral songs for high voice, performed by the soprano Christine Brewer.

June 29th 2008: From left to right: Assistant Engineer Jonathan Cooper and Managing Director Ralph Couzens (Chandos) with Producer Rachel Smith (Ophelia Productions) and Stefan Esser, Vice President of the Joseph Marx Society, after having finished the world premiere recording of the choral works in Watford Town Hall. The photo was taken by Berkant Haydin, author of this website and General Secretary of the Joseph Marx Society.

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Other CD projects in the pipeline and latest news

On the initiative of Mrs. Haide Tenner, the ORF (Austrian broadcast company) in January 2008 released a CD of historical recordings of Marx's songs and orchestral songs with the composer accompanying his own piano songs, see "Discography" section.
The German cellist Michael Schlechtriem and the pianist Noriko Kitano will record Marx's "Pastorale" for cello and piano in January 2009 with the German label Genuin. The CD will also present cello works by Frederick Delius, Erich Wolfgang Korngold and Stefan Esser, Vice President of the Marx Society.